The Heart

The heart is part of the circulatory system. Humans have a double circulatory system; the heart
pumps the blood through two circuits. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs and
the left side of the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body.
Blood enters the heart through the vena cava and passes into the right atrium, then into the
right ventricle. The muscles in the right ventricle wall push the blood through the pulmonary
artery, which carries the blood to the lungs. At the same time, blood from the lungs enters the
heart through the pulmonary vein, passes through the left atrium and into the left ventricle.
Muscles in the left ventricle wall push the blood through the aorta, which takes the blood to the
rest of the body.

1. Label the parts of the heart in the diagram below.

vena cava

oxygenated blood deoxygenated blood

2. Explain why the muscle wall on the left side of the heart is thicker than the wall on the right

side of the heart.

3. Explain why the heart has valves between the chambers.

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 The Heart

Blood arriving at the right side of the heart is deoxygenated. The right side of the heart pumps
blood to the lungs. Blood returning to the left side of the heart is oxygenated. The diagram below
shows blood passing through a capillary close to an alveolus in the lungs.

CO2

O2

4. Use the diagram to describe the process of gas exchange in the lungs. Try to include all the
key words in the box.

alveoli carbon dioxide diffuses exhaled

inhaled oxygen red blood cells




The left side of the heart pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.

5. Describe what happens to the substances in the blood as it passes close to the body tissues.
Try to include all the key words in the box.

carbon dioxide diffuses glucose energy

muscle oxygen respiration




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The Heart Answers
The heart is part of the circulatory system. Humans have a double circulatory system; the heart
pumps the blood through two circuits. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs and
the left side of the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body.
Blood enters the heart through the vena cava and passes into the right atrium, then into the
right ventricle. The muscles in the right ventricle wall push the blood through the pulmonary
artery, which carries the blood to the lungs. At the same time, blood from the lungs enters the
heart through the pulmonary vein, passes through the left atrium and into the left ventricle.
Muscles in the left ventricle wall push the blood through the aorta, which takes the blood to the
rest of the body.

1. Label the parts of the heart in the diagram below.

pulmonary artery aorta

vena cava pulmonary vein

right atrium left atrium

right ventricle left ventricle

oxygenated blood deoxygenated blood

2. Explain why the muscle wall on the left side of the heart is thicker than the wall on the right
side of the heart.
The left side of the heart needs to put the blood under higher pressure than the right side
in order to pump it a greater distance around the body.

3. Explain why the heart has valves between the chambers.

The valves prevent blood flowing backwards, to keep blood flowing in one direction
around the circulatory system.

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 The Heart Answers

Blood arriving at the right side of the heart is deoxygenated. The right side of the heart pumps
blood to the lungs. Blood returning to the left side of the heart is oxygenated. The diagram below
shows blood passing through a capillary close to an alveolus in the lungs.

CO2

O2

4. Use the diagram to describe the process of gas exchange in the lungs. Try to include all the
key words in the box.

alveoli carbon dioxide diffuses exhaled

inhaled oxygen red blood cells

The air that is inhaled into the lungs contains a high concentration of oxygen. Oxygen
diffuses from the air in the alveoli into the red blood cells in the blood. Carbon dioxide
diffuses from the blood into the air in the alveoli to be exhaled.

The left side of the heart pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.

5. Describe what happens to the substances in the blood as it passes close to the body tissues.
Try to include all the key words in the box.

carbon dioxide diffuses glucose energy

muscle oxygen respiration

Glucose and oxygen diffuse from the blood into the muscle cells, where they are used for
respiration to release energy. Carbon dioxide and other waste products diffuse from the
muscle cells into the blood to be returned to the heart.

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